Whistle tweets

Tag: Alberto Riveron

NFL looks for ‘efficient, accurate penalty enforcement’ I’ve joked about it before: when Terry McAulay is the referee of a game, when there is a penalty flag the cameras had better find him quickly, because chances are he could be finished with his penalty announcement before the camera gets him in focus. That’s not just…

2014 rule changes The 2014 replay process is going to be much the same as the process from 2013; the changes being made to the system probably will barely register with most fans. There were too many hurdles to implementing a true centralized replay system, so a simple change will allow the senior officiating staff…

2013 rule changes In what will be the most scrutinized rule change this season, the NFL has modified the rules that will restrict ball carriers from using their helmets to inflict punishment on would-be tacklers. Starting this year, ball carriers are not allowed to lower their heads and initiate contact with a defender with…

The first hire under the leadership of the new vice president of officiating, Dean Blandino, has brought Alberto Riveron into the league office as senior director of officiating. Adam Schefter reported the hire Tuesday morning. Riveron was in New York City in January to, presumably, interview for the vice-president position, when Carl Johnson announced that…

We have chosen our assignments for the referee position only, not the entire crew. This year, all officials are assigned on individual merit, and not by the cumulative rank of the crew (see our post for the full playoff assignment criteria). Gene Steratore, considered by us to be one of the frontrunners in postseason assignments, conducts the coin flip at the Rams-Bills game in Buffalo.

Week 12: Raiders at Bengals (video at 2:50) On a 3rd-and-6, the Bengals completed a five-yard pass which was immediately fumbled near the sideline. The Raiders managed to keep the ball from going out of bounds by batting the ball in bounds. The Raiders then recovered the loose ball to return for a touchdown. Unfortunately,…

Week 10: Panthers at Broncos One week ago, it was the Panthers who scored a touchdown that, according to the rules, should not have been granted due to an inadvertent whistle. This time, it was the Panthers who gave up a touchdown when it should not have counted. On a punt return by the Broncos,…

AFC Championship 4th Quarter | :27 remaining | Patriots 23-20 | Ravens ball | 2nd & 1 @ NE 14 | video The Ravens, driving for a potential conference-winning touchdown against the Patriots, found themselves a dropped pass short in their effort. They had to settle for a field goal attempt to tie the game,…

A post over at NBC Philadelphia’s Birds Nest blog adds up the statistics of penalty flags per game through the first 13 weeks. The most over-officious (thanks for the term, Marv Levy) of the crews are: Ed Hochuli Jeff Triplette Tony Corrente Least likely to penalize are, starting at the least are: Scott Green Pete…

Week 12: Colts at Chargers An item that flew by our desk late last week that we are getting to now: Colts head coach Jim Caldwell, quoted in Friday morning’s Indianapolis Star, said that the league admitted to a blown call in the game the previous Sunday. An Eric Weddle interception of Colts’ quarterback Peyton…